Zimbabwe is expected to start receiving a huge consignment of fertiliser next week after supplies were  disrupted by Covid-19-induced logistical challenges, Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said.

Currently, ammonium nitrate is not readily available for State-assisted farming programmes and on the open market.

Farmers fear that if the situation does not improve by month-end, this would compromise the early crop, particularly maize.

Fertilisers for State-assisted programmes, commonly known as Presidential Inputs Scheme and Command Agriculture, are largely supplied by FSG, a local fertiliser company. Sable Chemicals — the country’s sole ammonium nitrate producer — also has a contract to supply fertiliser for the programmes, but through the Grain Marketing Board.

Dr Basera said the situation had been compounded after vessel containers loading fertiliser delayed docking at Beira port due to Tropical Storm Chalane.

The port serves as a gateway to landlocked countries in the region, including Zimbabwe.

“The shortage is not only affecting State-assisted programmes but also on the open market,” said Dr Basera.

“However, we expect the situation to start improving as one of the vessels has docked. We will begin to see an improvement this week.”

The early planted maize crop now requires top dressing fertiliser, especially at a time the country continues receiving excessive rains.

While the early crop is doing reasonably well, prolonged rains have caused water-logging, and this could severely cut potential output if little or no fertiliser is applied on badly leached soil.

So far, farmers have planted about 1,5 million hectares of maize, more than double last season’s hectarage, raising prospects for a good yield. Farmers are still being encouraged to plant short-season varieties in the second half of the season.

“We are expecting normal to above-normal rains and we still encourage farmers to continue planting, but short-season varieties or small grains,” added Dr Basera.

The Government, he added, would continue importing more fertiliser while supporting local production to ensure adequate supply of the commodity.

It will avail foreign currency to unlock fertiliser under collateral management arrangement.

Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza told The Sunday Mail the Government would work flat out to improve availability.

“While we are working to improve fertiliser supplies, we also want to make sure that consumers — our farmers — are able to access available fertiliser at an affordable price, and the retailers have been cooperating in this regard,” said Minister Nzenza.

There are fears retailers could take advantage of the shortage to increase prices.

Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union president Abdul Nyathi said the early maize crop was in danger if no top dressing fertiliser is applied by end of this month given the current excessive rains.

“If we get it by end of this month, then we will be still safe, but if it does not happen, we will start counting losses,” he said.

Last year, the Government approved a five-year roadmap aimed at reducing fertiliser imports over the next five years through capacitating local manufacturers.

The country, whose economy is largely agro-based, has been importing significant quantities of fertiliser as local producers struggled to meet demand largely due to foreign currency shortages.

Over the past seven years, Zimbabwe spent nearly US$662 million on fertiliser imports.

Had the local industry been adequately supported, the country would have spent US$400 million or US$262 million less.

According to the roadmap, Sable will ramp up annual production to 240 000 tonnes from the current installed capacity of 90 000 tonnes.

Presently, the company is operating at 33 percent of its capacity largely due to foreign currency shortages.

Chemplex will increase production to 100 000 tonnes over the same period, from the current capacity of 80 000 tonnes.

It is presently using 75 percent of its capacity. Demand for fertiliser in a normal farming season is around 600 000 tonnes, of which 70 percent goes towards Government farming programmes.